Multi-unit buildings such as hotels, motels, inns, and the like, offer a variety of services and facilities for the convenience of their guests. Guest services typically include maid service, concierge services, in-room dining services, laundry and dry cleaning services, wake-up calls, shoeshine services, butler services, and others. Facilities available for control or access by a guest typically include Heating/Ventilation/Air-Conditioning (HVAC) control units or thermostats, mini-bar, room lighting, door locks, television, alarm clock, radio, telephone, internet access, electronic drapes, and others.
Many modern guest rooms include room control systems. Room control systems is a central control computer or device that receives data from various remote sensors and operates a number of remote room control devices. Such remote sensors include, for example, motion sensors, temperature sensors, smoke detectors, and door and other closure switches. Such remote room control devices include, for example, thermostats and associated relays for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment, electronic locks, lighting control switches and relays, and motors and switches for opening and closing drapes. The central control computer uses the data and control devices to, for example, adjust the room's temperature, determine and annunciate whether the room is occupied or unoccupied, determine and annunciate whether the room's mini-bar has been accessed, sound fire and emergency alarms, turn lights on or off, permit or deny access to the room, open and close drapes, turn audio-visual equipment on or off, and perform other functions related to controlling equipment or annunciating status in rooms. A central control computer or device may be located in each room, and all rooms are tied to a single master central control computer. Where a central control computer or device is used in each room, each such computer or device provides data to the master central control computer from which such data is disseminated to display and control terminals at housekeeping, front desk, security, engineering or any number of other locations in order to provide hotel personnel with access to the data and with the ability to remotely control various room functions or settings from such terminals.
Room control systems are valuable tools for the lodging industry. Unfortunately, the equipment and installation costs associated with room control systems are generally too expensive for most new construction and renovation projects.